Spring clip



June 27, 1939. w WATERMAN, JR 2,164,264

SPRING CLIP Filed Oct. 10, 1938 E494 W ilzierman ii;

Patented June 27, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPRING CLIP Fred W.Waterman,

Jr., Johnst'own, Pa., assignor to The Universal Clay Products Company,

1 Claim.

This invention relates to resilient clamping devices, and moreparticularly to a spring clip adapted to detachably support a stem orrod which in turn is intended to support a neon tube or other article.Spring clips of this general character are well known, one such clipbeing described and illustrated in United States Patent N 0. 1,998,296granted to Edward J. Walker. However, the spring clips of the prior artpossess certain disadvantages, and it is the general object of thepresent invention to provide an improved clip which overcomes thedisadvantages of the prior art constructions.

The spring clips heretofore known and used for the purpose here involvedhave, in general, empoyed a substantially cylindrical resilient splitclamping member, intended to embrace and retain a cylindrical rod orstem, to the opposite end of which the neon tube or article is to besecured. Such spring clips, as well as the glass or porcelain rods orstems employed with them are manufactured and used in large quantitiesand at the minimum possible cost. Consequently, as a result of themethods of manufacture employed, and also of the wearing of the dies andmolds, and of the non-uniform contraction of the glass or porcelain rodsin cooling, irregularities occur both in the clips and in the rods whichprevent the cylindrical clamping portion of the clip from accuratelyengaging the circumference of the rod. For example, as in the case ofmany molded glass articles manufactured cheaply and in large quantitles,the rods are frequently found to have laterally projecting finscorresponding to the line of separation of the mold parts which, ofcourse, renders the surface of the rods non-uniform. When such a rod isinserted in a cylindrical clamp, it is apparent that it will be engagedonly along two lines, corresponding to the opposed fins or projectionsabove referred to. One object of the present invention is to provide aspring clip having a clamping portion of a roughly triangular shape,which insures a three-line engagement between the clip and the rodregardless of irregularities in the manufacture of either or both.

Another disadvantage of most of the prior art clips is that a screwdriver or other prying too] must be used in order to spread the twoparts of the clamp portion in order to insert the rod to be gripped.This disadvantage has been partially overcome in the case of the clipdescribed and illustrated in the above mentioned United States patent toWalker. However, the means provided for expanding the clip of thepresent invention constitutes an improvemet over the Walker device forreasons which will be hereinafter stated.

A further object of the the provision of a present invention is deviceof the character described which may be most economically manu- 5factured and which is capable of expansion, for the purpose of insertingor withdrawing a rod, with a minimum of effort and without danger ofpermanent deformation.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will be apparent to one skilled in the art from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in whichFigure 1 is a side elevation. of a spring clip according to the presentinvention, with a neon tube supporting rod secured therein;

Figure 2 is a vertical section on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the clamp portion ofthe clip in expanded condition;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary bottom view of construction illustrated inFigure 1; and

Figure 5 is a plan view of the metal blank employed in forming a springclip of the present invention.

In order to facilitate an understanding of the invention, reference ismade to the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawing anddetailed descriptive language is employed. It will nevertheless beunderstood that no limitation of the invention is thereby intended andthat various changes and alterations are contemplated such as wouldordinarily occur to one skilled in the art to which the inventionrelates.

Referring to Figure 1 the numeral l E! designates a supporting body ormember, which may be the background of a neon sign, or other surface towhich a neon tube or other article is to be attached. The spring clip ofthe present invention, which is designated generally by the numeral I I,is secured to the supporting body ID as by means of screws 12. A rod [3,preferably corrugated as shown, and preferably of glass, is resilientlysecured in the clip I l, and the neon tube I 4, or other article to besupported, is secured to the outer end of the rod l3 by means which arewell known and which form no part of the present invention.

The spring clip ll comprises a base portion I5, which is apertured toreceive one or more screws I2 for the purpose of securing the clip tothe supporting body, and an integral clamp portion I 6, the axis ofwhich is perpendicular to the plane of the base portion l5 andsupporting body Ill.

the

In its preferred form, the clamp portion l6 of the present inventioncomprises a resilient metal shell which is roughly triangular in crosssection, and is split longitudinally at that apex which lies farthestfrom the base portion [5. One longitudinal edge of the shell [6 isprovided with a spaced pair of projections I! and the opposite edge isprovided with a centrally disposed projection l8, which extends betweenand beyond the projections IT. The outer ends of the projections l1 andI8 are turned downwardly into substantially parallel planes, to providepressure surfaces for engagement by the fingers and thumb in order toexpand the clamp portion or shell Hi, to permit insertion or withdrawalof a rod. Thus, by gripping the down turned portions of the projectionsl1 and 18, and pressing them toward a common plane, as illustrated inFigure 3, the two side portions 19 and 20 of the clamp l6 may be sprungoutwardly, substantially about axes passing through their respectivepoints of juncture with the base portion I5, to permit free insertion.or withdrawal of a rod. Preferably, one of the side portions l9 and 20of the shell I6 is provided with one or more small projections 2|extending inwardly, and adapted to engage in the grooves of thecorrugated rod l3 to prevent its withdrawal except when the clamp is inexpanded condition. These projections 2| may be formed by punching, asindicated in Figure 1, in the same operation by which the blank ofFigure 5 is formed. Since the slot or recess formed between theprojections I1 is open at its outer side, it is obvious that there is nolimit, apart from the physical dimensions of the device, to the degreeof expansion which may be effected, and the projection I8 may be movedwholly outside of the slot between the projections l1, if necessary.However, it is contemplated that that degree of expansion which may beachieved by pressing the down-turned portions IT and I8 into a commonplane, will be sufficient for the contemplated use of the device.

It will be obvious that the triangular clamp of the present inventionwill provide a three-line engagement with the rod [3 regardless ofirregularities in the latter and also regardless of slightirregularities occurring in the manufacture of the clip. Thus, in Figure2 there is illustrated a rod having small longitudinal fins 22 formedtheron in the course of manufacture, and it will be noted that such finsdo not interfere with the gripping of the rod by the clamp l6 as wouldbe the case if the latter were cylindrical. Even] if greaterirregularities were present in the rod, the clamp would still be able toexert a three-line grip thereon, thus preventing oscillation of the rodin the clamp, and providing a generally more secure engagement betweenthe rod and the clamp.

By virtue of the superior type of engagement secured by the use of thepresent clip, it is possible to manufacture the clip from lighter gaugemetal than that heretofore used in the manufacture of such devices,which effects a saving in cost, and also renders permanent deformationof the clip less likely. Also, being made of lighter metal the clip ismore easily expanded than those of the prior art and in this connection,the present clip possesses the advantage, over the prior art, ofproviding pressure surfaces which extend at right angles to thedirection of their movement, facilitating the expansion of the clamp bygripping with the fingers.

Lastly, the spring clip of the present invention may be veryeconomically produced because of the form of sheet metal blank employedin its manufacture. As seen in Figure 5, the projection l'l formed onone end of the rectangular portion of the blank, corresponds in shapebut is slightly smaller than the recess between the projections l8 atthe other end of the rectangular portion of the blank, and theprojection I! thus may be formed of the metal stamped out between theprojections l8 of the preceding clip blank, without substantial waste ofmetal. The blank is then bent into shape, the projection l1 passingnaturally into the space between the projections l8, there being nonecessity of inserting a tongue through a closed slot as in the case ofthe aforementioned Walker construction. Preferably the points ofjuncture between the rectangular portion of the blank and the laterallyprojecting portion which comprises the base portion l5 of the finishedclip, are relieved as shown in Figure 5, which facilitates bending ofthe blank into the form of the finished clip.

In the appended claim the expression neon tube support refers to arod-like support such as that described and illustrated herein, adaptedfor the support of the transparent tubes commonly employed in connectionwith neon and other signs or devices of the luminous gas type.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

Means for securing a neon tube support to a supporting member,comprising an apertured base portion adapted to be secured to thesupporting member, and a clamp portion integral therewith and having itsaxis perpendicular to said base portion, said clamp portion comprisingan openended resilient split shell having a roughly triangular sectionin a plane parallel to said base portion adapted to grip said neon tubesupport at three spaced points, one longitudinal edge of said shellhaving a pair of spaced projections, the opposite edge of said shellhaving a centrally disposed projection adapted to extend between andbeyond said spaced projections, each of said projections having anoutwardly turned portion, said outwardly turned portions lying inapproximately parallel planes, whereby said shell may be expanded bypressing said outwardly turned portions toward a common plane, saiddevice being formed from a single piece of resilient sheet metal.

FRED W. WATERMAN, JR.

